The Second World War was a time of tremendous tragedies for the people of Cieszyn, but the town itself suffered little damage. The most important institutions and government offices began functioning normally in a relatively short time. Representatives of the new Communist order took power, and progressively eliminated supporters of other political persuasions. The National Town Council held power from then on. Other parties and organisations were forbidden from functioning, religious organisations were limited to issues of worship, and most church property was confiscated or given to pro-Communist organisations. Anyone considering themselves German either left Cieszyn or was forced to leave and the town became homogenous in terms of nationality. The villages of Krasna, Mnisztwo, Boguszowice and Marklowice were all incorporated into the town. However, the growth of the town was not particularly impressive; in 1950 the population was nineteen and a half thousand and in 1970 twenty three thousand.
       The new authorities imposed heavy industry on Cieszyn, flying in the face of centuries of tradition. The origins of Cieszyn’s biggest and best known factories were private pre-war firms which had been nationalised. These were; Celma Electric Machine Factory, Cefana Tool Factory, Termika Electrical Heating Equipment Factory, and the Paint and Varnish Factory. FACH Cooling Equipment Factory was built outright. The whole retail base in Cieszyn was nationalised. 
       Large new housing estates were put up on the edges of Cieszyn. However neither the Communist party nor heavy industry dominated community life in Cieszyn, which remained a town where the local intelligentsia and middle classes managed to retain the memory of old traditions. Cieszyn continued to be the educational centre of the region after the war, and new grammar and elementary schools were opened. The Agricultural College, which was reactivated in 1945, was moved to Olsztyn in 1950, and higher education only came to Cieszyn in 1971 when the Cieszyn Affiliate of the University of Silesia was founded.
       After the democratic changes in Poland the Solidarity Citizens’ Club won the local Town Council elections in May 1990. It marked the return of self-government and the re-organisation of municipal structures. After 1990 real co-operation was begun with the local authority in Český Těąín, in the form of many joint projects and initiatives.

J. Spyra, transl. French